MIND • BODY • SPIRIT • ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES IN THE WASHINGTON DC METRO AREA PATHWAYS NOW IN OUR 48th YEAR SPRING 2023 • FREE
Community Ecology Institute: Nature-Based Learning, People-Planet Connections L.E.T.S. Support World Music • Can I Smoke Weed & Work Out? • Groundcover Revolution Integrating Ayurveda & Yoga • Sweat Lodge As Community Ceremony • Rediscovering Pleasure Somatic Intelligence • Spring Astrology • The Spirit Of Place • Book Reviews… And More
Spring 2023 Natural Living Expo & Online Marketplace: Preliminary Program Inside!
www.PathwaysProductions.com
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Balancing the Art and Science of Massage Therapy since 1 976
the best deal around for your self-care Join our email list for discounts and specials! book your next massage $ 45 student clinic / $ 65 graduate clinic appointments online: www.PMTI.org appointments by phone: (202) 686-7046 PMTI continues to maintain protocols and procedures for the health and safety of our clients and practitioners. Visit www.PMTI.org for more details. The PMTI Massage Clinics
new events announced regularly check www.PMTI.org for updates Events, dates, and times subject to change. Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Overview: Jun 12 Bodywork for Depression and Anxiety: Jun 23-25 Advanced Integrative Reflexology– Muscle Reflexology with Meridians: Sep 16-17 FREE FRIDAYS Intros, presentations and lectures - Free to all Intro to Trager ® Somatic Movement and Manual Therapy: Apr 14 & May 19 Community Workshops & Continuing Education UPCOMING CLASSES Anatomy Trains: Structure in Function: Mar 3-5 Weekend of Reiki: Mar 11-12 Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Overview: Mar 16 Nurturing The Mother: Mar 24-26 A Touch of Massage: Apr 15 Washing Out the Fascial Sweater (Trager ® ): Apr 15 Integrative Reflexology: May 5-7 Transforming Touch (Trager ® ): May 20-21
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8701 Georgia Ave., Suite 700 Silver Spring, MD 20910
(202)686-7046 www.PMTI.org
PATHWAYS—Spring 23—3
PATHWAYS Retreats Yoga • Meditation • Wellness
Your Wellness Adventure Awaits at the Pathways Retreat Center! Our private mountainside residence is the perfect location to rest, reflect and rejuvenate mind, body and spirit — either through one of the upcoming Pathways Retreats, or your own special event offering. With luxurious accommodations, gourmet kitchen & onsite chef, and large outdoor hot tub, fire pit and communal spaces, the Pathways Retreat Center is ideal for hosting small groups interested in Yoga, Meditation, Health and Wellness escapes surrounded by nature’s beauty.
LUXURY HOME FEATURING: • 6 Bedrooms (sleeps up to 16 people) + Den • 3 Full Bathrooms
Pathways Retreat Center is located outside Charlottesville, VA, within 2.5 hours driving distance from the DC Metro & surrounding areas. The 34- acre mountainside property boasts spectacular views, trails and streams. Points of interest within an hour’s drive: the Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park & Skyline Drive, and several local wineries, breweries and distilleries.
• Full Kitchen & Dining Room • Living Room w/ Gas Fireplace
• Finished Lower Level + Game Room • Outdoor 10-person hot tub, decks, seating overlooking mountain vistas • Fire pit and use of the grounds, area recreational activities • Hi-Speed WiFi AVAILABLE ADD-ONS: • Gourmet organic farm-to-table meals prepared by onsite personal chef • Body Work (Massage, Re exology, Yoga) • Wine Tours • Hiking, Tubing, Kayaking, Canoeing, Mountain Biking & Other Outdoor Adventures • Onsite event management • Coordinated transportation arrangements
More information on the RETREATS page at:
www.PathwaysProductions.com/retreats For details, rates and booking inquiries: pathwaysads@gmail.com or 240-247-0393
4—PATHWAYS—Spring 23
PATHWAYS CENTER RETREATS INCLUDE: • Gourmet organic farm-to-table meals prepared by onsite personal chef • Luxury accommodations in a 6-bedroom, 3 full bath private home • Outdoor 10-person hot tub, re pit, and decks with amazing mountain views UPCOMING RETREATS • Charlottesville, Virginia Retreat Center
PATHWAYS
Pathways Productions and Align With Grace Yoga present… Enlightened Rest 108: Yoga for Serenity, Strength and Resilience April 21–24, 2023 Enjoy a long weekend fortifying our bodies and spirits and learning to rest in sublime serenity. This retreat is suitable for all levels of Yogi. Bringing a friend is highly recommended! The retreat will include asana sessions (all levels), meditation instruction, prana yama (breath work), Para ® Yoga Nidra (The Yoga of Sleep), and a special practice to harness the power of our subconscious minds. Pathways Productions and Village Life Wellness present… Vibrate: Ayurveda & Yoga Nourishment Retreat May 12–15, 2023 This Ayurveda and Yoga Wellness Retreat — suitable for all levels of practice — will include nourishment through each of our senses: touch (pranayama, movement, and massage), sound (singing and sound bowls), smell (making bath products and spice blends) and taste (mindful eating and cooking). We will replenish through the natural beauty all around, and in each one of us.
Space is limited! ~ Register now to secure your spot! • Single, Double and Dorm Style Occupancy available. • Massage Body Service offered for extra fee. • 20 CEUs offered for Yoga Alliance Registered Teachers. Program designed and led by Claudia Neuman, MSW, ERYT-500, YACEP , Certified Parayoga Nidra Instructor, and creator of Align with Grace Yoga. www.alignwithgrace.com
Space is limited ~ Register early to secure your spot! • Single, Double and Dorm Style Occupancy available. • Massage Body Service offered for extra fee. • Each participant will be offered a free introduction to Ayurveda video and an optional Ayurvedic consultation at 25% off reduced rate to schedule after the retreat. Program designed & led by Anjali Sunita, ERYT-500, YACEP , Hatha Yoga Instructor, Ayurvedic practitioner, former founder of Baltimore Yoga Village and creator of Village Life Wellness . www.villagelifewellness.com
Blue Nyle Therapy and Pathways Productions present… The Embodiment Project Retreat June 8–13, 2023
Space is limited! Early bird rates apply when you register before April 3rd. • Single, Double and Dorm Style Occupancy available. Nyle MacFarlane, MS, OTR/L (they/them), founder and owner of Blue Nyle Therapy , created The Embodiment Project in 2020. Nyle specializes in several forms of fascial manual therapies and will be
The Embodiment Codes are a series of 7 fascial connections that hold 7 major collective traumas in the body. Using the Codes as the blueprint, and with step-by-step instruction, this 5-day course explores the physical restrictions and karmic holding patterns within your own body, by blending trauma-informed mental wellness, energy healing, and bodywork. By the end of our retreat, you will have: • Deeper understanding of how your body responds to stress. • Tools to manage your own body’s pain & emotional patterns. • Skills to live an embodied, more grounded life to bring into work you do as a healer, therapist or leader in your community.
leading Retreat Day 1, 2, 3 & 5. www.bluenyletherapy.com
Dahlia Rose is a quadruple certified Reiki Master Teacher and an ordained Priestess initiated in the order of Melchizedek. Dahlia will be leading The Sacred Pathfinder Ceremony on Day 4. crystalcognizance.com
REGISTER NOW! For more information, rates, schedules, and online registration, visit: www.PathwaysProductions.com/retreats
Registration includes lodging, food + beverage, & full program.
Questions? Contact Pathways Productions: 240-247-0393 | pathwaysads@gmail.com
PATHWAYS—Spring 23—5
Erin deSabla Owner & Publisher;
Events + Operations + Business Development Michelle Alonso Editor, Magazine & Web Content; Social Media + Marketing Claudia Neuman Operations + Sales + Event Support Amaya Roberson Sales + Event Support Ann Silberlicht Graphic Design MayaRose Creative
MInd • Body • Spirit • Environmental Resources Since 1979
What We Are About Pathways Productions is a full-service advertising, marketing, event and publishing company serving the mind, body, spirit community since 1979. From the start, we have been a small, family-run busi- ness. Today, we have a women-led team dedicated to helping all businesses — local, small & inde- pendent — succeed and thrive. Over the years, we have expanded our offerings to include live events, most notably the widely successful and always popular Natural Living Expo. The articles and resources offered by Pathways Magazine and its affiliated hosted events demon - strate a common belief on the part of local individuals, businesses and contributors that sharing ideas and expertise builds community and commerce in a spirit of unity, cooperation and under- standing while maintaining a high level of integrity, responsibility and service. Our content em- braces these ideals; we are a conduit — a pathway — for the most loving and dynamic insights and information that enable all of us to live more consciously. The views and opinions expressed in Pathways Magazine, and by vendor materials for our hosted events, are those of the contributing writers, editors and merchants, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Pathways ownership or any Pathways staff. Any content provided by our contributors is of their opinion and is not intended to malign any religious, ethnic, or cultur- al group, organization, company or individual. Furthermore, the products and services presented herein and at our hosted events do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of use or a recommen- dation on the part of Pathways and its staff, and are largely paid advertising and vending. Making Connections Join our Pathways Community! Through our quarterly and online publications, and our sched- uled hosted events, we are committed to providing the public with free or affordable access to local resources focused on holistic health and wellness practices, spirituality and personal growth, com- munity activism and outreach, and stewardship to the environment. We foster these opportunities through information, ideas, events, goods and services. Our goal is to provide a platform for businesses to reach the public in a comprehensive and cost-ef- fective way. Through advertising, packaged marketing, live events and retreats, and event planning support, we offer businesses opportunities to market themselves through a variety of channels, and use our expertise to facilitate this growing network. Pathways is your one-stop resource to make connections, nurture growth and achieve success. Finding Pathways Pathways Magazine print edition is distributed through dozens of outlets in Maryland, DC and Virginia. Visit our “Where To Find” page online for the nearest locations to pick up your print copy. More distribution outlets are being added with each issue. We also provide an online digital edition with interactive links to references, resources and businesses for each issue. Our website features our current issue, as well as a magazine archive, where you can view issues dating back to 2010. Subscriptions for Pathways Magazine are available for $12/year and direct-mailed. Order yours through our website: www.PathwaysProductions.com. Advertising In Pathways Pathways advertising opportunities are available through all of our outreach channels: our free quarterly journal, Pathways Magazine, distributed in print and digitally; our hosted events; and our comprehensive website and growing social media presence. We offer ad rate discounts with custom packages for Expo exhibitors, and provide design services for low one-time fees. For more informa- tion, upcoming deadlines and our editorial calendar, visit us online.
Magazine & Website, Design + Production Contributing Editors Cam MacQueen Kathy Jentz Contributing Writers Lisa Adams Mary Finelli Kurt Griffith Lindsey Haldeman Trish Hall Bruce Johnson Elena Khazanova Misty Kuceris Nyle MacFarlane Matthew Montfort Sheri Salartash Anjali Sunita Helena Amos Carol Burbank Chiara D’Amore Denise Horton Meghan Thompson Lindsey Van Wagner
Book Reviews Alyce Ortuzar On The Cover LUCY IN THE SKY by Jesi V. Lundy Circulation 12K copies by Pathways Staff SPRING 23 Volume 48, Number 1 Published quarterly with the season change by ERIN DESABLA PATHWAYS PRODUCTIONS 7407 Aspen Ave. Takoma Park, MD 20912 www.pathwaysmagazineonline.com PH: 240-247-0393 (Mon. – Thurs. • 12 PM to 5 PM) ADVERTISING EMAIL: pathwaysads@gmail.com Ad Rates Available Online: www.pathwaysmagazineonline.com Deadline for Editorial and Advertising are 2/10, 5/10, 8/10 and 11/10. Publication is approximately four weeks after the deadlines. Please email all arti- cles as file attachments to the Editor at:
www.PathwaysProductions.com
pathwaysarticles@gmail.com © 2023 Pathways Productions
6—PATHWAYS—Spring 23
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Spring 2023 — What’s Inside
PATHWAYS PROFILE Community Ecology Institute: Nature-Based Learning, People-Planet Connections ........................9 By Chiara D’Amore TO YOUR HEALTH Somatic Intelligence: Learning How the Body Stores Trauma and Emotion ....................................11 By Nyle MacFarlane BUILDING COMMUNITY Sweat Lodge as Community Ceremony ..............................................................................................13 By Kurt Griffith/Talking Stone GLOBAL VISIONS L.E.T.S. Support World Music ............................................................................................................15 By Matthew Montfort CULTIVATING COMPASSION Worse Things Happen At Sea .............................................................................................................17 By Mary Finelli; Edited by Cam MacQueen HERB CORNER Ask A Stoner: Can I Smoke Weed And Work Out? ............................................................................19 By Meghan Thompson ASTROLOGICAL INSIGHTS Spring 2023: Prepare for the Paradigm Shifts ...................................................................................21 By Misty Kuceris YOGA TODAY Three Reasons to Integrate Ayurvedic Wisdom Into Your Yoga Practice .........................................23 By Anjali Sunita WASHINGTON GARDENER Groundcover Revolution ....................................................................................................................30 By Kathy Jentz ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL JUSTICE Higher Still, an Environmental Awakening at the Grassroots Level .................................................59 By Bruce Johnson, PhD SEASONAL INSIGHTS Pre-Bloom: A Spring Reawakening ....................................................................................................61 By Lindsey Haldeman and Lindsey Van Wagner TO YOUR HEALTH Sleep Disordered Breathing: A Children’s Health Concern ..............................................................67 By Sheri Salartash, DDS PATHWAYS SPRING EXPO & ONLINE MARKETPLACE ~ SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 2023 An Invitation From Your Pathways Team Please make your calendars for the Pathways event of the season — the Spring Natural Living Expo and Online Marketplace! Our booths are almost sold out and workshop slots are filling quickly. See the preliminary program in this issue for the early confirmed participants. The virtual marketplace of seasonal specials is open NOW! Our exhibitors are giving you the chance to sample products and services with great deals and discounts. And we are using Eventbrite for easier advance ticket purchasing. Overall, we hope you’ll spend your money and time with purpose and intention to keep resources in the communities where we live and work. The spring is already bubbling and blossoming, and our content reflects the excitement and renewed energy that comes with this season’s reawakening. After winter’s rest, we are ready to spring into action on behalf of ourselves, our communities, and our planet. There’s work to be done. Please join us!
The Wheel of the Year, a solar-based agrarian model, is in the Spring Cycle. How will your garden grow? Page 27
Like Kintsugi & the philosophy of wa- bi-sabi, we must honor & tend the flaws to heal the earth & ourselves. Page 65
ON THE COVER: LUCY IN THE SKY, By Jesi V. Lundy. Artist profile, page 77
MORE RESOURCES FOR CREATIVE LIVING • Inflammation and Its Manifestations, by Helena Amos - pg 25 • Rediscovering Pleasure, by Elena Khaz- anova - pg 63 • Book review by Alyce Ortuzar: Getting To Green, Saving Nature: A Bipartisan Solution, by Frederic C. Rich - pg 70 • Gaia and Psyche: The Spirit of Place, by Denise Horton - pg 73 • “Imagine With Me”, by Rev. Trish Hall - pg 75 • Pathways Spring 2023 Natural Living Expo Preliminary Program - pg 40 • Spring Events Calendar - pg 50 • Advertiser Index - pg 78
PATHWAYS—Spring 23—7
Uma Alexandra Beepat Soul Alignment Coach, Intuitive Consultant CEO of The Lotus and The Light Metaphysical Center www.thelotusandthelight.com Services: • Soul Alignment Coaching • Manifesting Desires Coaching Program • Psychic Love Readings • Tarot & Oracle Readings • Spiritual Assessments • Reiki, IET & Energy Healing • Past Life Regression • Access Bars & Access Facelift • Massage & Reflexology Classes: • Uma’s Psychic Intuitive Mentorship Program
• Private Psychic Mentorship Programs • Energy Healer Certification Course • Reiki, IET & Energy Healing Classes • Psychic Development Classes • Tarot & Oracle Card Workshops • Munay Ki Shamanic Initiations • Meditation & Yoga
PATHWAYS SPECIALS
Free Ebook! Life as a Psychic Medium Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get a FREE ebook! bit.ly/LifeasaPsychicMedium
Check out our calendar for ALL Of Uma’s events and classes! www.meetup.com/thelotusandthelight
Enjoy FREE Readings and be a part of our Online Conscious Community Join our FB group for FREE! www.facebook.com/groups/ thelotusandthelight
info@thelotusandthelight.com www.linktr.ee/thelotusandthelight
8—PATHWAYS—Spring 23
PATHWAYS PROFILE
Community Ecology Institute: Nature-Based Learning, People-Planet Connections
Roots & Wings Learning Community Roots & Wings provides supplemental experiential education for home-schooled children so they can nurture a deep connection to self, community and the environment. The programming emphasizes cre - ativity, social and emotional learning, and nature-based exploration. Roots & Wings works by offering a flexible, yet consistent educational community for mixed age groups of students. Our holistic curriculum encourages personal connection to topics supporting the student’s well-being, and fosters clarity around a student’s educational joys and a life-long love of learning. The Roots & Wings program launched in 2018 and initially oper - ated as a two-day-per-week program for elementary-aged students. Now operating four-days-per-week exclusively at Freetown Farm, it has expanded successfully over the last 4 years to support more fam- ilies, including with an “upper” level program to serve the children that are growing up with this innovative educational community and are now ages 11 to 13. Currently we are exploring ways to incorporate an element for high school-aged children for the fall of 2023 as our students continue to grow with the program. A parent said, “Roots & Wings provides an outdoor learning oppor- tunity where kids can connect with nature and apply math, biology, physical education, problem solving, communications, reading com- prehension, nutrition, and more. This is an ideal educational setting — my child loves Roots & Wings.” Another family said, “This program has truly changed the lives of my kids. We’ve tried public, private, co- op, and all-at-home. Roots and Wings is the first program where they seem genuinely excited about their learning and have been nurtured as whole people.”
BY CHIARA D’AMORE, PHD
Envision a world where communities are healthy, resilient, abun- dant and rooted in regenerative relationships that honor the inherent interdependence between people and the ecosystems of which we are all a part. At the Community Ecology Institute (CEI), we are bringing those visions to life. Founded in 2016, CEI is a Maryland non-profit organization whose mission is to cultivate communities where people and nature thrive together. We focus on tangible, community-level change at the intersection of environment, education, equity, and health. We show- case and teach evidence-based best practices in these areas that are specifically responsive to our area’s natural and social ecosystems. In 2018, CEI was given the opportunity to purchase the last work - ing farm in Columbia. With the support of numerous community col- laborators, we raised the resources needed to purchase, and therefore protect, this 6.4-acre organic farm, in June of 2019. In the past three and a half years, most of which has been under Covid, we have worked diligently to transform the property into an inviting place where com- munity members can learn through hands-on experience about ways to lead happier, healthier, more connected and sustainable lives. As the stewards of this land, now known as Freetown Farm , CEI has significantly expanded both the type of programs we offer and the populations we serve. CEI offers significant farm-based benefits to the community, such as service-learning opportunities, the provision of plants and pro- duce, and innovative workshops. However, the core of our experien- tial education lies in four immersive programs intentionally designed to serve a diverse, intergenerational audience. These programs are based primarily at our Freetown Farm location; some will be expand- ing to our brand new Green Farmacy Garden location in 2023. Community of Families in Nature (CFIN) The mission of CFIN, CEI’s original program, is to provide fre - quent, fun and friendly nature-based experiential education the en- tire family — children of all ages and their caregivers — can enjoy. By connecting families with nearby nature, CFIN activities foster great- er connection between the natural world and the community. Doing so increases environmental awareness and action, and supports the well-being of participants, including strengthening family relation- ships. CFIN began in 2014 (prior to the creation of our non-profit) as Columbia Families in Nature. As of the end of 2022, we’ve held more than 325 events that served more than 760 families who collectively have enjoyed more than 27,000 hours of time exploring and learn - ing in nature. In 2022, our eighth year, we offered a wide range of family-oriented events, from camping trips and guided hikes, to na- tive tree plantings, nature scavenger hunts and art projects, garden stewardship, and more. CFIN program participants shared: “With kids ages 8, 5 and 3, it’s hard to find something that our family can all do together that’s stimulating, meaningful, and that builds con - nection between us and the environment. Planting the pollinator gar- dens was perfect!” and “My kindergartener had the opportunity to be immersed in child-led play for hours, which she doesn’t get during the school week. CFIN outings awaken her creativity and allow her to de-stress and be a kid.”
Freetown Farm
Green SEEDS In the fall of 2020, CEI introduced what is now known as our Green SEEDS (service, experiential education, & design for sustainability) student internship program. The internships provide experiential education and community engagement experience for high school and college students across a range of intersectional socio-ecological themes through its two tracks: the first is for high-school students in Howard County, and the second is for college students.
continued on page 33
PATHWAYS—Spring 23—9
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10—PATHWAYS—Spring 23
TO YOUR HEALTH
Somatic Intelligence: Learning How the Body Stores Trauma and Emotion
physical body. This is because it is not so easily explained. The mind- body connection is not causal or linear, meaning there isn’t always a clear antecedent and we cannot say with certainty which came first in the sequence. In addition, there is often a delay between an anteced- ent and a response, making it difficult to say with certainty whether or not they are related. With that said, I have observed certain patterns with enough con- sistency over time to be able to give a general overview of how the body processes an emotional experience. For the sake of teaching, imagine that the chain of events looks like this (see Figure 1):
BY NYLE MACFARLANE, MS, OTR/L
Every single cell in your body is doing two essential things: It is listening and it is responding. ~ Richard Rudd, The Gene Keys Early on in my career, I had a patient who received treatment from me for debilitating hip and low back pain. It was obvious to me that these regions of her body carried dormant emotional pain, which contributed to her physical pain. Yet, anytime we would discuss the connection of her physical symptoms to possible emotional stress, she would deny the correlation and tell me she does not believe the body holds memory and emotion. Our sessions felt limited by her beliefs, yet as a young therapist, I continued to treat her physical body for as long as I could until her progress hit a wall and she discontinued treatment. Fast-forward a decade later, I operate my practice very differently. I educate my patients on how the body stores trauma and emotion from day one. If I get a response like the one above, I gently inform the patient I am not a good fit for them and I refer them to another therapist. Fortunately, most of the people who are referred to me are see- ing me specifically because I understand how their emotional history contributes to their physical symptoms. This is partly because I am teaching and writing more, but it is mostly because our society can no longer afford to deny how our emotions affect our physical health and vice-versa. Despite our willingness to accept that emotions and phys - ical symptoms are connected, most of us do not fully understand why or how. Until we are able to fully understand it, many of us will con- tinue to ignore the body’s subtle cues until they become debilitating. My courses and workshops teach people how to listen to and in - terpret the language of the body in order to address the underlying causes of their pain and dysfunction. The body’s subtle cues are of - ten overshadowed by salient pain symptoms. It requires a multi-step process to peel back the pain symptoms in order to get to the more subtle cues. I outline this multi-step process in the Four Quadrants of Embodiment , which I teach to clients and therapists who are ready to learn this work. The process of speaking the body’s language is often referred to as Somatics , or Somatic Intelligence . The term Somatics was first de - fined by Thomas Hanna in the mid-1970’s. At this time, his work was focused on how the soma , or body, perceived sensory experiences, and how the body expresses those experiences, particularly in movement or lack thereof. The field of Somatics has gained momentum in the past 5 years, as many mental health therapists begin to specialize in fields such as Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. Books like The Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk and It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Wolynn bring awareness to how our behaviors and emo - tions are a result of dormant memories or intergenerational trauma within our physical body. Books like Understanding the Messages of the Body by Jean-Pierre Barral and Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pert explain how the physical body can create our perception of emo- tions. There are hundreds of books bringing awareness to the connection between our emotions and our physical symptoms. Yet, many of these books fail to explain why our body holds emotion or how it affects our
Figure 1
1.) Our sensory input triggers a cellular response. ➜ 2.) A cellular response releases neuropeptides. ➜ 3.) Neuropeptides change our emotions. ➜ 4.) Our emotions change our behavior. ➜ 5.) Our behavior changes how our body feels. ➜ 6.) How our body feels changes our posture. ➜ 7.) Our posture shifts our perspective on the environment. ➜ 8.) Our perspective deter - mines what sensory input we take in. When it comes to what causes the body to store emotion, it often becomes a “chicken or the egg” conversation. Let’s start from the be - ginning of this chain reaction by analyzing how sensations can cause the body to store emotion. Sensations come from our external environment, but how our cells perceive them have everything to do with our epigenetic history, cultural influences, neurosensory processing, cellular and systemic health, and trauma history. Something as simple as the smell of jas- mine tea can trigger an adaptive cellular response in one individual, while sending another individual into complete cellular chaos. We can use sensory stimuli to change our behavior or body sensations; but if our cells are in dysfunction due to one of the aforementioned influences, then we must start with addressing these barriers first. Working with an integrative doctor and nutritionist to figure out which cellular systems are in dysfunction is often the first step. There are many products on the market that support health on the cellu- lar level by decreasing inflammation, lowering oxidative stress, and balancing the nervous system. Some of these products include CBD
continued on page 35
PATHWAYS—Spring 23—11
Takoma Metaphysical Chapel
A Spiritual Community That Supports Your Individual Development
Sunday 11:00 Services now virtual at Zoom (81385184622) and Facebook Live. Other activities via conf. at 717-908-1636 (635833#)
Imagine A Place Where…. Your beliefs are supported and embraced. Everyday events are explored from the physical, mental and spiritual perspective. Like-minded individuals support you in your spiritual journey. At the Takoma Metaphysical Chapel, you will find such a place. The Takoma Metaphysical Chapel is a growing community of people committed to spiritual growth and development resulting in transformation and emotional well-being. You’ll find uplifting services, you’ll feel the spirit of Love, and you’ll learn practical ways to put this energy to work for your greatest good. Relevant, Practical Themes. Teachings based on numerous “new thought” spiritual traditions that show you how to apply timeless spiritual principles in practical ways to navigate your life with more peace, joy and grace. Come As You Are Come experience uplifting music, meditation, prayer and messages designed to touch your heart and uplift your spirit. Experience wisdom from various spiritual traditions to heal your heart, mind and soul. The Takoma Metaphysical Chapel meets on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom (Meeting Code 81385184622) and on Facebook Live.
Our Mailing Address Is: 1901 Powder Mill Road, Silver Spring, MD 20903
Classes and Workshops Include: SPIRIT SPEAKS MORE ON MANIFESTATION Mondays at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom MANIFESTING YOUR GOOD Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom See website www.takomametaphysicalchapel.org for other classes, online support and more details. Many classes available via conference call also.
OTHER EVENTS INCLUDE: Wednesday Evening Healing/ Meditation Circles 7:15 – 8:30 p.m. via conf. 717-908-1636 (635833#) 3rd Sunday Goddess Circle 7:30 p.m via conf. 717-908-1636 (635833#) A Course In Miracles Calls M-F 6:55 a.m. via conf Sunday 9:30 a.m. via conf 717-908-1636 (635833#)
(301) 587-7200 • takomachapel@netzero.com www.takomametaphysicalchapel.org
12—PATHWAYS—Spring 23
BUILDING COMMMUNITY
Sweat Lodge as Community Ceremony
BY KURT GRIFFITH / TALKING STONE
to whatever pantheon. We welcome you to invite and invoke your De - ities, call upon your Spirit Guides, Allies, Avatars, however you meet the Divine. The Making of Ceremony Ceremony does not begin when we light the sacred fire, when we bring in the hot stones, or even close the Sweat Lodge door. Ceremony begins the moment we manifest our intention to provide ceremony for the people. It begins when we make our first logistical preparations for Lodge. Even now, over the winter months, we have begun our ceremo- nies with the planning for the coming season. We are often asked what it takes to learn the traditions of Sweat Lodge Ceremonies. Traditional teaching amounts to a lot of “chop wood, carry water, haul stones.” It’s coming early, staying late, paying attention, and being careful. It’s taking care of the site and the people that come to ceremony. It is compassion, respect and service for the Traditions, the Ceremony, the Land, and the People. It’s a lot of hard work when done properly. Running sweat is organizing, caring for and preparing the site,
Sweat Lodge ceremony is older than recorded history and is prac- ticed in some form by almost every culture in the world. We heat an- cient rocks dull red in a fire and bring these glowing hot stones into the center of The Lodge, a tightly enclosed, usually dark space. When the lodge door is closed, removing all outside light and sound, we pour water on the rocks to envelop and bathe our bodies with this hot, va- porized water. Our minds are quieted into the eternal now. In most traditions we are encouraged, in this steam-filled private darkness, to give up our hesitations; and through prayer and sacred songs, we ask for support, health, and help. We offer thanks for all the good things we have received. Such is the core of Sweat Lodge Ceremony as prac- ticed around the world. We have provided the Sacred Stone People’s Lodge at Four Quar - ters Interfaith as an act of service for the Community and our guests since our founding in 1995; the church subsidizes the significant mon - etary costs of space, materials and firewood for the ceremonies. Our Ceremony Leaders represent a number of sacred traditions, and we follow the same interfaith view as Four Quarters Interfaith. All are
gathering good stones, our herbs and medicines, building the fires, making the Lodge ready. Ceremony Leaders prepare their ceremonial items and spirit medicines. Typically this takes place before the first guest arrives and goes toward one purpose — creating a good place for the People to pray, to be healed and purified, and to talk to Spirit. After it’s all done, it’s physical - ly and spiritually cleaning the site in a good way. All of this is an integral part of the ceremony. It is also very import- ant to understand this is a community effort — these ceremonies are not pos - sible without community support, and in turn the ceremonies serve the com- munity. In addition to our Ceremony Lead- ers, we have a community of Sweat Lodge staff and helpers, who serve
welcome to come pray. We do not con- cern ourselves with whom or what you pray to; the ceremony creates a sanc- tuary for prayer. Our Ceremony Lead- ers have studied and trained for a long time in their respective traditions be- fore pouring water for others, especially for a community. We try very hard to do these things in a sacred manner, to show the utmost respect for the tradi- tions of our teachers and all our guests. Our Water Pourers represent a number of ceremonial traditions, and we perform ceremony in the manner in which we were trained. A Water Pour- er might pour in Lakota Style, Wiccan, Dineh, Siberian, or any one of the many other traditions that embrace Sweat as a sacred practice. All of our facilitators make concessions and contributions to this unique community. This reflects
as Site Keepers, Fire People, Doorkeepers, Greeters, and all-around helpers. In practice, everybody does a bit of everything. For those who want to assist at Sweat Lodge, and perhaps learn a thing or two, we encourage people to come early and stay late, roll up your sleeves and pitch in, pay attention, learn how we do these things. Volunteers are always welcome; it’s how we make new staff. We learn by doing. There is always work to do, and a lot of good times, too. This is a demanding pathway of service; if it calls to you, you will work hard and be held to very high standards. Sweat Ceremony: Expectations and Considerations For those who seek a deeper experience of Sweat Lodge, we offer two weekend gatherings in the Spring and Fall of the year. Spring Sweat Lodge Teachings over Memorial Day weekend will explore the various ways of Sweat for those interested in a deeper un- derstanding of our ceremonies and how we go about them. Our prima- ry purpose is to help raise up our current and future staff, but all in - terested are welcome. We share so these traditions can benefit future generations. We in the Sweat Team are acutely aware we stand on the shoulders of Giants. It has been an almost universal sentiment of our teachers, across a number of traditions, that these traditions be made available to those in need, and they should not vanish from this world. We hold a Com- munity Sweat Weekend on our Fall September Moon Service week -
the interfaith and multicultural nature of the extended Tribe that is Four Quarters, bringing their own songs, history, and relationships to the Land and each other. In a Four Quarters Sweat, you may hear some ceremonial songs in Lakota or Dineh, but also Wiccan chants, hymns, and spirituals, maybe even a Broadway show tune, as long as it contributes to the ceremony. Every person who comes to pray will bring something special to the circle. The Ceremony Leaders don’t perform any special magic; they just mind the door, pour water, and make sure there is a safe place for prayer and healing. The Spirits that come do all the work. What mostly changes in ritual and ceremony is you — your relationship to the uni- verse, the divine, and each other. If you’re lucky, you might even shed some of your personal or spiritual baggage. Your experience of Sweat Lodge will be influenced largely by what you bring to the ceremony. Our sweat ceremonies facilitate personal and inner cleansing and healing. The lodge brings us into connection and harmony with the Mother Earth and all of Creation. This ceremony is open to all people of all beliefs. It remains a gift and an offering to those who are open and willing to further their own personal journey, and who want to participate and experience the beauty and wonder of this most pow- erful and healing ceremony. It is a place of refuge and of healing, to repair your spirit and to obtain personal answers and guidance. You do not have to follow a Medicine Tradition or a Native Pathway to pray or receive the health and spiritual benefits from Sweat Lodge Ceremo - ny. Just pray; the Spirits will listen. Pray to whomever you speak to,
continued on page 37
PATHWAYS—Spring 23—13
WONDERFUL WELLNESS
MEDICAL MEDIUMSHIP AND SPIRITUAL CLEARING PRACTITIONER
Julie has the ability to leave her body and consciously work on clients remotely in the comfort of their own home. Very few practitioners in this country have the ability to offer the level of sessions Julie offers. BODY SYSTEM INTUITIVE CLEARING SESSION Julie was gifted with the ability to visually see deep into the human body and into each organ, gland, muscle, tissue and cell. Julie has the ability to use her light body to work with precision and clear issues deep within your body and your DNA. Julie’s level of skill set allows her to visually see every aspect of the body so she can spiritually clear issues. Your chakras, emotional, mental and spiritual body will be cleared as well. Julie will provide very detailed information about what took place during the session. Often, clients report feeling Julie working inside their body and seeing angels all around them during a session . (75-minute session)
SPIRITUAL-MENTAL-EMOTIONAL SESSION Julie unfolds time and clears the original imbalance and all the destructive energies, contracts, connections, programs, lineage curses, imbalances, and entities creating specific issues in a client’s life . Julie will visually see and verbally speak with higher aspects of you during this session. Chronic health issues, reoccurring events in your life, anxiety, relationship issues, money issues play out in a person’s life for a reason. Often, cycles of events taking place in a client’s life will keep playing out until the root cause in time and all the supporting energies are cleared. Very few spiritual practitioners in this country have the skill set to work at the level to perform this type of session. Often, these are life changing sessions. (90-minute session) LUMINESCENT MEDIUM SESSION Julie has the ability to Illuminate a client in such a way they see their departed loved ones through her face. Julie’s face will disappear and the client will be able to see those wanting to give them special messages. By holding Julie’s hands, a client will be so connected they will feel their loved ones in their heart. These sessions help eliminate permanently fears of non-existing after dying and the fear of being alone. (60-minute session) UNBORN BABY COMMUNICATION Julie has the ability to communicate with unborn babies.
ANIMAL COMMUNICATION Julie has the ability to communicate with all animals. HYPNOSIS Your subconscious mind can unknowingly cause problems in every aspect of life. HOME AND BUSINESS CLEARINGS Julie clears portals, entities, cycles of time, negative energies, curses, and a wide variety of negative fields effecting a home or business. Julie does not use sage or any type of device. Julie can see and work on all levels and dimensions which allows me the ability to clear what is needed to properly clear a space. PAST LIFE AND LIFE BETWEEN LIFE REGRESSIONS
Explore more about you . FRAGMENT RETRIEVAL
Souls can become very fragmented through time. These fragments must be retrieved in a way that is safe. These fragments will be cleared and returned to you. REMOTE SESSIONS AVAILABLE ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED INFORMATION THAT IS SHARED DURING A SESSION IS FOR THE CLIENT TO USE AND DISCERN AS THEY ARE GUIDED. I DO NOT OFFER ANY MEDICAL ADVICE OR COUNSELING. DURING THESE SESSIONS IS SPIRTUALLY BASED. THE
CONTACT: Reverend Julie Pennington at jjulie0010@gmail.com or 410-236-0234
14—PATHWAYS—Spring 23
GLOBAL VISIONS
L.E.T.S. Support World Music
using a set of notes in ascending (arohi) and descending (avarohi) order, sometimes including prescribed alternate routes, a hierarchy of note importance, and a key phrase that shows the heart of the move- ment of the raga. The caption on an associated ragamala painting read: “Bound with a peacock’s feathers...his face is as a flower. Ele - phant-like, he joyfully wanders in the forest among the gopis. Such is Basant raga.” While based on raga, L.E.T.S. incorporates harmony, and in pas- sages follows the muse of the moment over the rules of raga. It starts
BY MATTHEW MONTFORT
Music is an important part of people’s lives and has the power to influence social change. For over 40 years as a musician, I’ve devoted my career to making music the world needs to help humanity survive the coming ecological and geopolitical challenges. Since its inception in late 1978, my band, Ancient Future , has been dedicated to the mission of world fusion music, and to promoting the concept with live concerts and recordings. We want world fusion music, a process by which new music is created based on the world’s great musical tradi -
with an alap , an introductory melodic impro- visation that shows how the raga moves. Once the alap comes to a conclusion, the gat , or main theme, is introduced in the tala , or rhythmic cycle, in this case keharwa , an eight beat cy- cle. The ending of Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring features a tihai , a rhythmic pattern re- peated three times in succession that is com- monly used in North Indian classical music to create a cadence. L.E.T.S. quickly became a part of Ancient Future’s live repertoire, and an acoustic stu - dio version of the composition finally went into production in 2020 as part of our ongo - ing fan-funded recording project, the Archive of Future Ancient Recordings, which now in- cludes more than ninety minutes of music available to supporters. Scores and practice tracks from the studio version were shared in rehearsal for our first virtual concert, where it became the best live version of the piece yet.
tions, to become a movement. We want world fusion music to be supported by the industry so artists can be fairly compensated, and listeners have access to discover and enjoy this glob- al-inspired music. Over the years, Ancient Future has expand- ed its musical vision through collaborations with noted masters of various world music tra- ditions who are now an integral part of what is today more than just a band. Ancient Future has grown to become a collective of more than thirty performers from around the world with over a dozen small ensembles within it, includ - ing artists such as Pandit Habib Khan (Indian sitar), Georges Lammam (Arabic violin), and Shenshen Zhang (Chinese pipa virtuoso) to name a few. Naturally, as performers, we were affect - ed by the global pandemic, which caused the cancellation of our entire 2020 concert season. And like so many of our fellow live musical art-
ists during this time, we turned to creative solutions, both to keep the music alive, and to respond to our Ancient Future Times subscribers asking for virtual concerts during the pandemic and beyond. A new series entitled ‘Alternate Reality Concerts from the Ancient Future’ was created. I was the inaugural performer with a solo scalloped fretboard guitar concert on my birthday, February 12, 2021. Exactly four months later, on June 12, 2021, Ancient Future performed as an ensemble for the first time since 2019, thanks to Jhankar, an Indian arts organization in Cincinnati. They came forth to sponsor a streaming concert fea- turing a trio program consisting of me on scalloped fretboard guitar,
Support Streaming World Music One of the main goals of the promotion of this first live Ancient Future release is to help expand the reach of world fusion music on streaming sites where people are increasingly discovering and con- suming new music and artists. As a member of the Executive Board of the Artist Rights Alliance, we advocate for fair compensation for art- ists in the digital age. The economics of free streaming has had a del- eterious effect on the ability of musicians to support themselves from their creations. A recent quarterly statement from our own distributor reported only $100 in income from 2 million ad supported streams of an Ancient Future track. While streams to paid subscribers pay out a little more, it’s still a fraction of a cent per stream even in the best-case scenario.
Indian tabla master Aditya Kalyanpur, and keyboard wizard Frank Martin. The series is an ongoing project, and will continue as scheduling allows and funding is raised. Lustful Elephants Trumpet Spring, or L.E.T.S., dropped on Elephant Apprecia- tion Day, September 22, 2022, and is the first official audio/video release from the virtual concert series. The music came to me in a dream in the early 2000’s after studying Rag Basant, a springtime raga that captures the feeling of separated lovers longing to unite. I woke up in the middle of the night dreaming of a melody that conjures elephants in mating season. I wrote down the music and went back to sleep. When I played through the piece the next morning, I was intrigued by how the music captured the spirit of ele- phants. It begins with a low riff that de - picts an elephant’s legs, and then moves to a jump from low to high like an elephant trumpeting in excitement. A raga is a melodic recipe for a mood. Raga could be described as a “super scale”
To receive meaningful income under the current system, an artist, including a world music artist, either needs millions of streams daily, or for their music to be on the popular playlists featuring music for a relaxing activity such as yoga or medita- tion, as many paid subscribers sign up to avoid being distracted by ads during their daily practice. Since many of these special- ty playlists are used as background music, most listeners have no idea who created the music. It’s important that world fusion music be encouraged to grow according to the muse rather than the demands of ac- companying a specific activity. As a world music artist, I’m also con - cerned that today’s streaming algorithms have a polarizing effect that keeps listen - ers in tiny genre boxes by suggesting music that sounds like the music they already lis- ten to. This is counter to the goal of world fusion, which seeks to open people up to continued on page 37
PATHWAYS—Spring 23—15
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